San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

San Diego police say that on Christmas Eve, a man was wounded after two other men attempted to steal his beer. The shooting occurred at University and Euclid avenues in City Heights after the victim refused to surrender his beer.

As the two robbers assaulted the man, his beer fell to the pavement. One of the robbers fired a shot into the air and three at the victim, who suffered a gunshot wound in the buttocks as the two suspects fled the scene of the shooting.

The gunshot victim was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Public safety: Beer-theft attempt leaves man wounded on street, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 26, 2008

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A sweep through the southwestern part of San Diego resulted in the arrest of nine people for parole violations this weekend. San Diego Police arrested four juveniles and five adults for violating terms of their probation.

Two of the people in question tried to barricade themselves but later surrendered peacefully. According to a supervising probation officer, the police were able to locate a woman named in a warrant two years ago as well as a documented adult male gang member. The officer added that information received during the raid on last Friday afternoon and night.

The San Diego Police Department, the Chula Vista Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Office Regional Fugitive Task Force collaborated with the county’s Probation Department.

Nine Arrested For Probation Violations, 10news.com, December 20, 2008

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The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the holiday season is peak time for cycbercriminals hoping to steal bank account information or other personal data to use for fraudulent purchases. A San Diego State University professor of information technology said the volume of cybercriminal activity is increasing.

Because online shopping increases during this period, criminal activity also increases, because hackers know that there isn’t time for online retailers to screen every transaction as thoroughly. By attacking computer networks during November and December, identity thieves believe there is less chance of detention.

In order to prevent hackers from stealing their identity, bank account numbers, or other information, experts have the following advice for consumers:

*Keep your anti-virus and spyware software up-to-date.
*Shop through retailers who have a strong reputation for security.
*Use different passwords for email, banking, and online shopping

Holiday season brings out worst in cybercriminals, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 17, 2008

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A possible gang attack during the weekend of December 6 left two San Diego students dead. San Diego homicide detectives and witnesses said Monique Palmer, 17, and Michael Taylor, 15, were at a party attended by Lincoln High School students when three cars pulled up filled with suspected gang members. They pointed handguns and yelled gang challenges at party guests before driving away just before 1am.

A few minutes later, Palmer and Taylor left the party with a group of other students. Two men approached them at the corner of San Jacinto and Groveland drives and fired shots before fleeing south on San Jacinto. Palmer died at the scene of the shooting, while Taylor died at a nearby hospital soon after.

Police have not yet released a description of the shooters, but dozens of people gathered at the shooting site the following night to honor the two shooting victims.

Community reeling after 2 teenagers fatally shot, San Diego Tribune-Union, December 7, 2008

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In Redlands, California last week, police arrested a San Diego man who they suspect molested a runaway teenager. Police also suspect that Scott Douglas Oakley, 29, may have molested other victims in the San Bernardino and Redlands areas.

According to court documents, Oakley is charged with molesting a minor and providing marijuana to a minor. He picked up his 14-year old victim near the Redlands Mall entrance and allegedly drove to an area home where the two smoked marijuana. Police believe Oakley then pulled out a handgun and molested the victim, who reported the sex crime during a school counseling session two months ago.

Police have located a 20-year old transient who says Oakley offered to smoke marijuana with him and then molested him. According to detectives, Oakley told them he looked for transient men near the down library and Greyhound bus station in San Bernadino between 2003 and 2007. In the past year, Oakley allegedly looked for men in Redlands.

San Diego man arrested on suspicion of arresting Inland teen, The Press-Enterprise, December 11, 2008

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A San Diego Superior Court Judge convicted a woman of identity theft for using an acquaintance’s personal information to open fraudulent credit card accounts. Former loan officer Denise Ramirez has been ordered to serve one year in prison and will spend five years on probation. Her prison sentence may increase to up to three years and eight months if she fails to comply with an order to reveal all illegal transactions performed with her friend’s information.

Police arrested Ramirez on September 25 after authorities discovered Ramirez had stolen money from the account of Evanthia Pappas and opened debit and credit cards in Pappas’ name. Prosecutors say the money in question was between $80,000 and $90,000. On October 30, Ramirez pleaded guilty to grand theft and identity theft.

Pappas, who was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer and struggled to pay her medical bills, has received reimbursement from Citibank for much of the money stolen from her account. Therefore, restitution would be paid to several banks impacted by the identity theft case.

Woman guilty of ID theft will serve one year in jail, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 4, 2008

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TMZ.com reported that Michael Vick, the Falcons quarterback who was convicted on felony dogfighting charges, managed to spend $201,840 the same day he reported to jail. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Vick, who was once the NFL’s highest paid player, is also filing for bankruptcy.

His expenses on the day he reported to jail included buying a new Mercedes ($99,000) and spending $10.940 on what TMZ called “miscellaneous last minute impulse buys.” Though Vick’s assets are worth around $16 million, his liabilities total $20.4 million.

Vick is currently serving a 23.month federal term, but because he pleaded guilty in Virginia to a state charge of dogfighting, he may be eligible for an early release from prison to a halfway house six months into his sentence, since federal law prevents prisoners from being released to a halfway house while they have charges pending.

Vick will complete his sentence on July 20, 2009, and he is expected to apply for reinstatement to the NFL. League officials would not comment on the case.

Vick's Incarceration Day Shopping Spree, TMZ.com, December 7, 2008

Michael Vick pleads guilty to state dogfighting charge, Seattle Times, November 26, 2008

Bankruptcy records detail Vick’s spending, BradentonHerald.com, November 22, 2008

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The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that two of the three people charged in the pipe bombing of the San Diego federal courthouse pleaded guilty on Friday. The bombing occurred last May and no one was injured.

On September 25, Eric Robinson, 43, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession and use of a destructive device to commit a crime of violence. He admitted to driving the getaway car. On Friday, Judge Margaret McKeown formally accepted Robinson’s plea and that of Ella Louise Sanders, 57, who pleaded guilty to the same charges, which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years.

Robinson and Sanders admitted their involvement in constructing and helping to detonate pipe bombs at the courthouse and a FedEx building in May. Their motive has not been established yet, and a third defendant, Rachelle Carlock, is awaiting her trial.

Courthouse bombers plead guilty, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 5, 2008

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In Kensington, San Diego police arrested a man suspected of motorcycle theft. The suspect allegedly stole a motorcycle and raced in south on Interstate 5 on last Tuesday night at speeds of more than 100 mph.

While investigating the motorcycle theft, an officer attempted to pull over the suspect near Poway Road. Instead, the rider sped up and swerved between lanes at an estimated speed of 90-110 mph. For safety reasons, the officer backed off.

However, a police helicopter crew followed the motorcyclist to Adams Avenue exit into Kensington. The suspect parked the motorcycle on a sidewalk before running down 39th Street. He hopped fences and dashed through yards until the police reached him at an apartment complex. Police arrested the theft suspect around 11:25pm.

Police catch motorcycle theft suspect, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 25, 2008

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A San Diego man has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison after he allegedly traveled to Colorado to sexually take advantage of children. He will also have to register as a sex offender and may be deported to his native Lebanon after serving out his sentence.

When Georges Najjar, 33, arrived in Denver on March 14, he was greeted by an undercover agent and Denver police. The undercover agent had posed as a single mother with two young children and had made contact with Najjar online and by phone. According to the Department of Justice, Najjar stated during conversations with the undercover agent that he planned to have a physical relationship with the woman and her children.

Responding officers and agents seized Najjar’s luggage after he landed in Denver. His bags contained children’s toys, DVDs, and candy, among other items. In July, Najjar leaded guilty to the charges.

Sex offender to spend more than a decade behind bars, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 26, 2008

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